Finally!

Using Ebates.com while purchasing from Sephora.com (gotta love the web):

$2.85 saved.

Letting a pushy tourist at a bar pay for my beer (a rareity):

$6.00 saved.

Spending the extra effort to drive around a few more blocks for street parking instead of using a garage where I normally would:

$5.00 saved.

Opting for black and white labels while making office supplies purchase, though I really would have liked the color ones:

$6.00 saved

Getting my arse to a party by 10:30 p.m., therefore entering by 11 p.m. and avoiding cover charges:

$20.00 saved

Making a point to mention that I have a CVS card while making purchases, and pulling it out or rattling off my phone number for it:

$15.99 saved

Choosing to take the 59th Street Bridge as opposed to toll-collecting tunnels and such on 10 separate occasions:

$40.00 saved.

Inquiring about the deserved refund of the charge made on what was supposed to be a one month free trial of a certain trading software:

$59.99 saved.

Being able to buy a shiny new electric/acoustic guitar, knowing that I made a conscious effort to save up for it:

Priceless.

(The events above took place from September 10, 2004 through December 9, 2004. Yes, I was slightly inspired by clever MasterCard commercials, but mostly I was tired of talking about the supposed purchase of my guitar instead of actually making it. So now I have an envelope full of bills, therefore no excuses. How liberating!)